Sarah Palin Abused Her Power in Firing Commissioner
Posted on October 11, 2008 at 12:38 pm (PST)
A report out of Alaska regarding Trooper Gate concluded that Sarah Palin abused her power as Governor, but did nothing unlawful or unethical. In my opinion if Sarah used her power to fire a commissioner who wouldn’t fire a state trooper who was guilty of committing crimes, and tasering his 10 year-old stop son (child abuse), then Sarah did the right thing, no matter what the report says. I support what Sarah did. When there is police corruption, and the good old boys are protecting each other, despite criminal activity and child abuse, someone needs to stand up to them, and Sarah did. Fox News reports:
Sarah Palin "abused her power" as governor in the disciplinary case against a state trooper, according to a legislative panel’s report released Friday, though it also found that her firing of a state commissioner was "proper and lawful."
The ethics inquiry, which Palin’s supporters have called politically motivated, found that a family grudge was a factor in Palin’s dismissal of Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan — but not the sole factor. The report says Palin failed to keep her husband from meddling in the discipline of the state trooper, her brother-in-law, following a contentious divorce.
The panel of state lawmakers released its report Friday after spending more than six hours in a closed-door session reviewing the findings. At the heart of the investigation was the question of whether Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, had pressured Monegan to fire Trooper Mike Wooten.
Palin has said Monegan was fired as part of a legitimate budget dispute.
Investigator Stephen Branchflower, who drafted the bipartisan panel’s report, found Palin in violation of a state ethics law that prohibits public officials from using their office for personal gain.
"Today’s report showed that the governor acted within her proper and lawful authority in the reassignment of Walt Monegan," Meg Stapleton, a spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign, said in a written statement.
Stapleton added that the panel’s report shows that the inquiry was partisan and that Palin and her husband, Todd Palin, were "completely justified in their concern regarding Trooper Wooten, given his violent and rogue behavior."
Monegan, meanwhile, said he felt "vindicated."
"It sounds like they’ve validated my belief and opinions," he said. "And that tells me I’m not totally out in left field."
The nearly 300-page report does not recommend sanctions or a criminal investigation.
The investigation revealed that Todd Palin has extraordinary access to the governor’s office and her closest advisers. He used that access to try to get trooper Wooten fired, the report found.
Branchflower said Sarah Palin violated a statute of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.
Palin and John McCain’s supporters had hoped the inquiry’s finding would be delayed until after the presidential election, in which they face an uphill battle against Barack Obama and Joe Biden. But the panel of lawmakers voted to release the report, although not without dissension.
"I think there are some problems in this report," said Republican state Sen. Gary Stevens, a member of the panel. "I would encourage people to be very cautious, to look at this with a jaundiced eye."
Palin defended herself Saturday when asked by a reporter if she abused her power, saying:
"No, and if you read the report, you’ll see that there was nothing unlawful or unethical about replacing a cabinet member," she said as she left a hotel in Pittsburgh. "You got to read the report, sir."
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yeah, that’s right, HG, you have a point. It’s exactly what we needed at that level of government. if it worked on a state level, maybe she can use abuse of power at a federal level. If she doesn’t see it as unethical then look at the good she can do as VP and potential President. Maybe she can even abuse her power to get to get that the nasty freedom of speech thing thrown out. It does seem to heart a lot of people at times. Or hey the freedom of religion thing can really mess people’s minds up sometimes, since others are not taking care of all people getting hurt from that then maybe she can get elected and try to use her power to get around that thing to protect people. State and city government can’t control hand guns from killing people, i know Palin is for NRA, but watch out if one of her friends gets shot, then there goes the freedom to bear arms. Oh hey you know what, the constitution just gets in the way sometimes of doing a lot of good and allowing bad people keep doing some bad things, maybe she can get to that level of government that she can use her power to influence getting rid of it. yeah that’s a good thing, right??? No matter how you put it, a wrong doesn’t correct a wrong. She should have not abused that power, she should have been above that and not used major influence on something that minimal. She should be above that, yet she went that low. Even the simple threat or suspicion of abuse on a federal level is bad, but here you have actual proof that she did. It may not be unlawful per say, but it is unethical. Imagine what she can do with that kind of mindset at the VP level or God forbid, Presidential level. Don’t we already have so much freedom taken away as it is since the last 8 years? now you want someone that have no conscience to do the same? she didn’t even apologize!!! God help us all if she gets the position she wants.
***HG says***
Sarah Palin tried to protect the public from an abusive, and criminal, law enforcement officer. What she did may have been called an abuse of power, but it was also deemed ethical, and legal. Sarah did the right thing for the people of Alaska. She is exactly the kind of person that could stop the abuses in Washington D.C. It’s too bad you never mentioned that in your comment. If you could see things from other people’s point of view your life would be a lot easier.
It’s because of people like you that God brings hurricanes. (that’s a joke in case you didn’t get it)
Comment by LRPSNPR — October 11, 2008 #
The GOP lost this election. President Obama will have a rubber stamp Democrat House and Senate. He’ll be apointing some Ultra Lib Supremes as well.
How are you going to deal with this fact once it becomes a reality?
***HG says***
We live in a democracy. If the majority of voters choose a democrat President and majority democrat Congress, then I accept the peoples’ choice. I may not agree with it, but I will at that point be in the minority, and still allowed to voice my opinion. I will also spend time trying persuade our representatives to also consider the minority view along with the majority in passing legislation.
I believe Obama will go down in history as one of the worst Presidents in history, mostly because of his socialist policies. That is my opinion, and you are free to disagree. I will change my opinion if Obama’s performance proves me wrong. I would like nothing more than to be wrong about Obama, but I don’t think I will be.
If Obama causes the country to go into a deep depression by raising taxes, and burdening the American people with socialist programs, I will simply say, “The majority who voted for Obama got what they wanted, and now they’ll have to live with it.” If Obama does the opposite, then he will have earned my gratitude and respect.
Comment by Barackstar Obamania — October 12, 2008 #
I think LRPSNPR needs to go get his meds refilled.
***HG says***
You have the best comebacks Gary.
Comment by Gary — October 12, 2008 #
Thanks, I am sure that we will disagree in the future(stocks) but I would think we would agree to disagree, which is the main problem with the lib’s.
They only agree to one game plan which will eventually wreck the course and we will have to deal with it!!!! You must have open discussion in any adventure to succeed. I thank you for allowing that here!!!!
Comment by Gary — October 12, 2008 #